Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Essaouira

For one person, living is cheaper in Essaouira: $782 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Essaouira
Learn more

Essaouira Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Essaouira

🇲🇦 Morocco

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Essaouira

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Essaouira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $782 in Essaouira, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Essaouira $782

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,172 in Essaouira, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Essaouira $1,172

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,562 in Essaouira, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Essaouira $1,562

Istanbul costs about 98% more than Essaouira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Essaouira is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$4.62 MAD 45.00

166.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$18.81 MAD 183

190.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$7.12 MAD 69.4

29.49%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.35 MAD 13.14

225.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.47 MAD 4.58

257.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.38 MAD 3.68

55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$5.31 MAD 51.8

-11.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$4.61 MAD 44.93

28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.90 MAD 8.79

34.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.54 MAD 5.25

64.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.67 MAD 16.28

31.14%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.68 MAD 16.37

39.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$8.27 MAD 80.6

26.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.81 MAD 56.6

-2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$10.62 MAD 104

97.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.30 MAD 12.63

46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.14 MAD 11.12

102.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.72 MAD 7.02

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.77 MAD 7.52

133.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.58 MAD 5.67

12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.68 MAD 6.66

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.38 MAD 3.67

228.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.58 MAD 5.68

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.84 MAD 37.44

-38.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$6.32 MAD 61.6

112.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.82 MAD 17.76

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.13 MAD 20.77

63.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.82 MAD 7.99

8.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.64 MAD 6.22

101.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.63 MAD 6.19

46.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.45 MAD 14.16

1.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$34.6K MAD 337.3K

46.81%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$29.5K MAD 287.8K

50.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$88.6 ₺4,387

$23.89 MAD 233

270.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.59 ₺574

$17.25 MAD 168

-32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$30.01 MAD 293

-47.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$5.30 MAD 51.7

53.58%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$69.0 MAD 672

1361.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$1,875 MAD 18.3K

1263.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$29.38 MAD 286

83.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$44.72 MAD 436

-8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$59.0 MAD 576

67.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$41.76 MAD 407

131.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$393 MAD 3,835

150.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$330 MAD 3,217

96.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$930 MAD 9,071

113.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$557 MAD 5,433

111.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$256 MAD 2,498

370.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.5

529.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Essaouira

$330 42.2% 49.2% $320

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Essaouira

$171 21.9% 34.1% $89

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Essaouira

$114 14.5% 49.1% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Essaouira

$79 10.1% 39.7% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Essaouira

$71 9.1% 38.7% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Essaouira

$11 * 1.4% 88.7% $83

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Essaouira

$7.1 * 0.9% 90.8% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $393 in Essaouira. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 370% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $171 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇦 Essaouira

🕒 Local time

21:40 9:40 PM

19:40 7:40 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

77,966

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Essaouira 3,600 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Essaouira

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Istanbul vs Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,173 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Essaouira, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Essaouira. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.